President's lawyers may offer Mueller a meeting with Trump

Looking to speed Mueller's Russia probe and show openness, the president's legal team might soon volunteer a chance for the special counsel to interview Trump.

By DARREN SAMUELSOHN 10/12/2017 05:02 AM EDT

Donald Trump’s lawyers are open to having the president sit down for an interview with Robert Mueller, according to a senior White House official, as part of a wider posture of cooperation with the special counsel’s Russia probe.

If Mueller doesn’t request an interview by Thanksgiving, Trump’s lawyers may even force the issue by volunteering Trump’s time, the official said. The White House believes such an interview could help Mueller wrap up the probe faster and dispel the cloud of suspicion over Trump.

A meeting with Mueller could bring serious risks for Trump—exposing him to questions about everything from potential obstruction of justice over his firing of FBI Director James Comey to what Trump might know about Kremlin support for his presidential campaign. But the official suggested that the White House has no reason to stonewall Mueller.

“Whatever happens with regard to whether or not, or how, the special counsel might want to interview the president, there’s no reason to expect that would be combative,” the senior White House official explained.

1. I'm sure trump thinks he can con Mueller....

2. This does not sound right to me.

I would interpret this to mean that they think Trump will be asked to testify before thanksgiving, then they will be able to say 'See, he has always been willing to talk to them to show he has nothing to hide.

9. If it's not under oath

12. Absolutely.

I'm getting really tired of this whole model of people "testifying" while not being under oath. That's just bullshit. And who wants to sit there for hours listening to someone just go on about literally nothing? Don't they have ANYTHING better to do? It would be more productive to spend that time working on your play calling in Madden 18.

10. In other words, Mueller has already asked for a meeting with Trump under oath, and

Trump is negotiating for a meeting in private, off the record, no transcript. And, they are starting to spin this because Trump's testimony under oath is inevitable and he has every reason to resist it happening.

14. Unless it's under oath Mueller should decline. NT

16. tRump under oath?

That means nothing to him. He's a congenital liar. So you're going to get the same results either way. It would be interesting if he plead the 5th, but he wouldn't see a need to if can lie his way out of the situation. And he could still claim he didn't have to answer as a matter of national security, executive privilege, whatever.